Rumors and Rewards
by Globby
Summary: He had saved the world, defeated the bad guy and got the girl. He deserved it all... they said.


_That's the truth,_ he concluded, the realization almost making it hard to breathe.

The water followed him, flowing fluid and calm, moving with the arrows that decorated his skin. The water that reached to his knees almost bending along with the bubble he controlled. The ground beneath his feet, sound and balanced, reported no hints of anything that would disrupt the tranquility of his surroundings. He inhaled deeply, the warmth of fire spreading from his stomach flowing through every inch of his body with his blood. He breathed out, feeling the air that surrounded him pause for a millisecond, prepared to obey if he should command it, before continuing to hum with the trees again. He felt the elements embrace him, balanced and loyal to his every whim.

With a gentle movement of wrist, he finally ended the perpetual flow of the water that circled through his body, letting it down gently to flow along with the stream of the lake. His clear gray eyes, illuminated with the moonlight stared at his reflection from the water.

He frowned at the person starring back at him; the youngest air bender in history to earn the title and symbol of a master. The kid who learned all the elements in less than a year. The kid who have ended the hundred year war only a month ago. His frown deepened. _The Avatar_.

He had come terms to that fact. He embraced it as much as it had him. So much that he didn't know how he had lived his life without knowing the power that he held in his fingertips. So much that he didn't know where he, normal happy-go-lucky airbender Aang, began and where _he_ , all powerful master of all elements had ended.

It didn't bother him as much as it had before, knowing that in his fingertips, he held all the cosmic power in the universe, and in his palm, the fate on the whole world. He had already dealt with all that. And it would pretty much be smooth sailing from here on out. Because he had saved the world, defeated the bad guy and… got the girl.

He deserved it, they said merrily if not graciously. The pampering and praises he got pretty much everywhere he went. He deserved the massive feast they always prepared for him. He deserved the monument of him they raised in Kyoshi island right beside his past life Avatar. He deserved the parades, the fireworks, the glory. He deserved the very best of everything every town had to offer, they said. He deserved it all, they said. He deserved Katara… _they said_.

Another lurch in his chest and the air that hummed gently around him started to blow frantically.

He knew she loved him. It shows in her eyes. It shows in her smile, through her touch, her embrace and through her gentle words. Through her kisses. She loves him. He would never doubt that. After everything they have been through, he wouldn't _dare_ doubt that.

But… exactly just _how_ does she love him?

The air stilled suddenly, not humming like before, but just _still_ , almost tangible in its weight around him. He never knew his element could be so heavy on his shoulders- on his chest.

He had never bothered with rumors before. He believes that everyone has their opinions and thoughts. They're entitled to that. And no real harm really ever comes from them, so why bother. But that optimistic belief of his changed drastically when he happened on one while scouring the markets on a town somewhere on the Southern borders of fire nation looking for something to feed Appa before they met with the ambassadors.

" _The Avatar? I thought Master Katara was involved with Firelord Zuko, or even that Jet- kid. I saw it on that play on Ember Island."_

" _I thought so, too. But, hey, the kid saved the world and all. He_ deserves _to get the girl at least."_

It didn't leave him. Even when he got back to their quarters after the successful peace treaty, it followed him like a wicked shadow. He couldn't look at Katara without the words replaying in his head.

Is it because he saved the world that she loves him now? Because he deserves her? It left a foul taste on his tongue. The past month of sweet and giddy memories of them together suddenly turned dark and doubtful. Did those moments only happen because he _deserved_ them?

 _We're in the middle of the war, Aang. Right now I'm just a little confused._

Before he ended the war, those were her words. Before he had ended the war, Katara was just confused. What changed that? The war?

 _I just said I was confused!_

Before the war he loved her. He was sure of that. More than anything, he knew that. He ended the war mostly for her. Because he was certain he loves her.

He never doubted his feelings for her. Never. And nothing would change it. Not the end of the war. Nothing.

It wasn't the same for Katara. Because if it was, she wouldn't be confused when he kissed her back on Ember Island. She wouldn't have run away, only to return his feelings after everything was settled.

She didn't return his feelings because she returns them; she loves him because he deserved it.

 _That's the truth_ , he concluded. _Somehow, I always knew._

The calm water that reflected his image was disturbed by a lone drop.

* * *

 _ **Why the hell did I write this?**_


End file.
